Practical applications on Cultural Differences : Work Orientation dimensions . We tend to have a human instinct that “deep inside” all people are the same but they are not. Therefore we go into another country and make decisions on how we operate in our own home country. – the chances are we will make some very bad decisions. Examples : Of differences in work orientation between Middle East and West , especially in US. When negotiating in West, the Objective is to work toward a target of mutual understanding and agreement and SHAKE HANDS , when that agreement is reached, a cultural signal of the end of negotiations and the start of “ working together”. In Middle East, much negotiation takes place leading into ‘agreement’ , signified by ‘shaking hands’ . But the deal is not complete in Middle East culture. In fact, it is a cultural sign that “serious negotiations ‘ are just beginning. TIME ORIENTATIONS TWO different orientations to time exist across world.: 1. Monchronic: • Simultaneous occurrences of many things and involvement of many people. • Found in Meditarrean & Latin Culture. Examples ; France, Italy, Greece, Mexico and some Eastern and African culture. WORK ORIENTATION 1. Prefer prompt beginnings and endings. 2. Schedule breaks. 3. Deal with agenda items. 4. rely on explicit , specific detailed communication. 5. 6. View lateness as devaluing or evidence of lack of respect. 2. Polychronic : • Linear, sequential and one thing at a time. • Found in European influenced culture of US , Germany and Switzerland, Japan. WORK ORIENTATION 1. Start and end meetings at flexible time. 2. Take breaks , when it seems appropriate. 3. Be comfortable with high flow of information. 4. Expect to read each others ‘thoughts and minds’ 5. So , sometimes overlaps communication.

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SPACE ORIENTATIONS a. Space Orientations differ across cultures. In Northern European countries, personal space is much larger than Southern European countries. For example, For a German Or a Swedish person , the Italians or Greeks get too close. • Meditarraneons, Arabs and Latin Americans allow more touching. • Asians , Canadians & US culture discourage touching outside of intimate culture. • Cross gender touching allowed in US. • Cross gender touching not acceptable in Japan , where women are frequently seen shaking hands but not men. • In Mexico, a hug may reliably communicate the development of a trusting relationship , while a German negotiator might experience a hug as inappropriate intimacy. b. Eye Contact : In US, Canada, Arab countries eye contact is taken as a sign of reliability and trustworthiness .In Asian culture, looking down is usually interpreted as a sign of respect. Facial gazing or looking directly into the face of a negotiating counterpart is common in Brazil than in US and infrequent in Japan. c.

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